


Two Seconds

by Mortimer_Dead_Sea



Series: 1, 2, 3, 4 Series [5]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gun Violence, M/M, Near Death Experiences, One of These Days This Will Go Back to the Polyamory Themes, Rioting, mild anxiety, today is not that day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-12-24 12:25:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12012690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortimer_Dead_Sea/pseuds/Mortimer_Dead_Sea
Summary: "And as he watched Nile set his gun down, watched him shake as he stared at the dead body with horror in his gray eyes, Eren realized that Nile has never actually killed someone before."After getting shot, Nile could very easily die, and Eren tries his best to avoid that outcome.





	Two Seconds

**Author's Note:**

> I love writing this story, and as of right now it'll have two more parts, which both actually do feature polyamory themes. Right now I'm just indulging myself in this ship that is growing on me.
> 
> Also writing the dynamic between everyone here is very interesting, because there is a shown dynamic between Levi and Eren in the show, but between Eren and Nile and Levi and Nile, I basically have to mess around with it, and I find it kind of fun honestly.

When Nile had to return to the Military Police headquarters, a small group was sent to escort him. Levi had to stay behind, and thus he sent Eren in his place. Eren agreed easily enough; Levi had to stay to help Hanji and Eren was the only other person who knew Levi and Nile’s secret, and they needed someone to help with the cover up. A couple of other Survey Corps soldiers and Military Police officers left as well, but Eren was mostly in charge. People protested, but a sharp look from Levi, and the protests were silenced.

And so down the street they went, mostly empty, the other soldiers far ahead to make sure their path was clear of anything that may come their way. With the new government in place, there could very easily be an attack, and they had to be cautious.

Eren and Nile rode in silence; things were still kind of uncomfortable between them but things weren’t hostile anymore and that was certainly a step in the right direction. Besides, Nile was starting to do the same thing Levi did and sometimes act as a sort of parent to Eren. Eren sometimes wished he would stop, but Nile always seemed really awkward and embarrassed whenever he noticed. Eren later found out that Nile had lost his own children, and so he just let him be.

They rode on, the soldiers too far ahead to see anymore. Eren was rather worried about it, but Nile seemed fine. Eren had been learning the small things that gave Nile away; he wasn’t very expressive but he was rather emotional.

The ride went on a few moments more in total peace, until a gunshot rang through the air. Eren’s horse reared, effectively throwing Eren off. Eren shouted as he hit the ground, and suddenly it felt as if a million voices were shouting and more gunshots rang through the air. Someone was grabbing his arm, lifting him up, shouting at him. He opened his eyes, not even realizing they had shut, and his eyes focused on Nile, who was desperately trying to get him off the ground.

Eren grabbed Nile’s arm to hoist himself up, looking around for his horse. He growled under his breath; his horse wasn’t even afraid of titans, why did  _ gunshots _ scare him off? Nile’s horse seemed to have stuck around, but then again a Military Police horse was probably used to the gunshots.

He looked and saw Nile cocking his gun. Some of the other soldiers had come, but they were all getting attacked, some dying by gunshots, others by hand. Eren never imagined he’d see a Survey Corps soldier get killed by anything other than a titan.

Nile went to take aim at one of the attackers, but then he was shouting and falling to the ground. He was clutching his side, and Eren realized he had been shot. The lag in his mind immediately ceased, and his thoughts ran a million miles an hour. He dove towards Nile and put his gun over his back, doing his best to lift him up. Nile winced as he stood, but he moved with Eren well enough for them to take shelter behind a nearby house. The fight raged on, dragging other civilians down as well. A couple of soldiers had left to go get help and soon nearby Military Officers were running into the fray.

Eren set the gun on the ground, looking down at the hand clutching Nile’s wound. Nile moved it, revealing a deep red spreading across his shirt and hand. Eren’s thoughts ran ahead, beyond what he could keep track of, and then he heard a voice, and Nile scrambled for his gun, lifting it, aiming.

In a span of what felt like mere seconds, there was another gunshot, and the person before them fell to the ground, pistol tumbling out of his hand. And as he watched Nile set down his own gun, watched him shake as he stared at the dead body with horror in his gray eyes, Eren realized that Nile has never actually killed someone before. All those times he had threatened death on people never actually fell through to the end, and never before had Nile let a bullet leave his gun and enter another human being.

That revelation aside, there were bigger issues at hand.

“We have to get you back,” Eren said.

Nile mustered as much of a glare as he could. “How? If I go out there, one or both of us will die.”

Eren shook his head. “You’re  _ not  _ gonna die.”

Nile looked incredulous. “Why do you care what happens to me?”

Eren wasn’t sure whether to admit that it was for Levi’s sake; the corporal had lost many people in his life, the last thing he needed was to lose Nile, too. As much as Eren had once hated Nile, Levi obviously loved him.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said, moving so he could hoist Nile up again. Nile tried to protested, but Eren stopped him.

“Come on, you can’t just give up that easily!” Eren yelled. Nile looked exasperated, but he stood again, clutching his bleeding wound. Eren knew the more he moved, the faster he’d bleed out, but he just needed to get him back on his horse and Eren could get them out of there.

He helped Nile up on the horse, watching the riot as it progressed, other soldiers arriving to try and stop the angry civilians. Once Nile was situated, Eren got up as well, flicking the reins. When the horse didn’t move, Nile grabbed the reins and flicked them himself, shouting a command as he did so. The horse charged forward and Nile handed the reins back, wincing as he put a hand back to his wound. He used his other hand to grip the back of Eren’s jacket so he wouldn’t fall.

The ride back was surprisingly fast, and Eren helped Nile off the horse, shouting for help. Soon enough, people were crowding Nile, taking his gun and helping him back into headquarters. Eren saw Levi watch the others take Nile inside. He could tell he was trying to maintain his relaxed demeanor, but Eren knew that look as he began to follow everyone inside.

\----

Within a couple of hours, they were able to determine that Nile would live. Once he was rehabilitated, a few of the higher ups within the Military Police would come to him instead, and they could explain the situation to Nile and relay anything Nile wanted to say. Other Military Police forces were looking for those who had initiated and perpetuated the attack.

A couple of weeks went by and Nile was free to return to his room, although he couldn’t do much else. Levi was in charge of cluing Nile in on what was going on, and made sure he got his meals, and he ultimately spent a lot of his downtime in Nile’s room, even during the day. The longer Nile was stuck in his room, the more the rumors spread to the point that even Eren was starting to hear them. He knew how much the rumors bothered Nile, he definitely wouldn't be happy once he found out. But that was a problem for another day.

The day was winding down when Eren entered what he thought would be an empty dining hall. But Levi sat at one of the tables, tea cup in hand. He was alone. He was usually either working, or with Nile, or both. Eren was once used to seeing Levi alone, but now it was strange. That said a lot, he realized.

“What are you up to, brat?” Levi asked. The word held no malice. It was actually starting to sound like an endearment.

“Nothing really, Sir,” Eren said. “Just heading to my room.”

Levi nodded, and took a sip of his tea.

Eren went to leave, but then Levi spoke again.

“You brought him back right?” he asked. His voice was soft, softer than Eren was used to it, so much softer than he had ever heard.

“Yeah,” Eren said.

There was a long silence, and then finally a nearly inaudible, “Thank you.”

Unsure of how to respond to the surprising and almost frightening amount of vulnerability, Eren merely said “Of course” before he went to return to his room.

\----

Once all the doctors were gone for the evening, and Nile was lone in the hospital room, Levi showed up. He didn’t say anything, just crawled into the bed, and curled up next to him. Nile couldn’t shift much, but he pulled Levi closer, almost so Levi was laying on top of him, and just held him there.

"I killed someone," he said, voice shaky.

"I'm sure you had to," Levi assured him.

"I've never killed someone before," Nile continued.

"I know."

"I don't like seeing people die."

His voice was soft, and a little scared. Levi looped his arms around him, being careful to avoid his wound. Nile winced slightly, but he shifted and was fine.

"I don't care what you had to do to get back here," he said. "You almost died."

There was silence, and then Nile pulled Levi a bit closer, burying his face in his hair. Levi felt a kiss on the top of his head, and he just laid there. He might fall asleep, and the doctors might find them like this in the morning.

He voiced these facts out loud and Nile merely said, "I know."

And if Nile didn't care, then Levi couldn't bring himself to either.

**Author's Note:**

> So there will probably be two more parts at least, maybe more if I think of anything else.
> 
> The entire ending bit was added kind of last minute, too.


End file.
